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Caramel Sugar Cookie Apple Pie Cups Recipe

Caramel Sugar Cookie Apple Pie Cups

Yields: About 10 standard cups or 24 mini cups Best for: Brunch, parties, bake sales, after-school treats
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Ingredients

For the Cookie Dough:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter ½ cup, melted
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp apple pie spice or nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

For the Apple Filling:

  • 3 apples diced
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp apple pie spice
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

For the Crumble:

  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour heat-treated*
  • 3 –4 tbsp unsalted butter softened

For the Drizzle:

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 3 –4 tbsp milk or heavy cream
  • *To heat treat flour: Bake it at 350°F for 5 minutes before using in crumble.

Instructions

Prep:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a muffin pan—makes 10 standard or 24 minis.
  • Tip: Heat treat your crumble topping flour on a baking sheet for 5 minutes and let cool.

Make the Cookie Dough:

  • In a bowl, whisk together melted butter and brown sugar until smooth.
  • Add egg and vanilla extract.
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, apple pie spice, and cinnamon.
  • Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until a dough forms.
  • Shape & Bake:
  • Scoop dough into muffin pan and press down in the center to make a cavity.
  • Bake for 22 minutes for large cups (12 for minis).
  • When done, press the center down again with a spoon or ice cream scoop—they’ll look soft, and that’s perfect!

Make Apple Filling:

  • In a saucepan, combine diced apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and vanilla.
  • Simmer over medium, stirring often, for 5–8 minutes until apples are soft and syrupy.

Make the Crumble:

  • Combine brown sugar, cooled flour, and softened butter with a fork until crumbly.

Assemble:

  • Spoon apple filling into cookie cups, sprinkle with crumble, and finish with a simple glaze (whisk powdered sugar and milk together in a bowl).

Serve:

  • Serve warm for that just-baked effect, or store in the fridge and enjoy cold with coffee.

Notes

Tips & Notes:
Swap in pears for a twist, or use a mix of apples for more depth.
Add a pinch of sea salt to the drizzle for a little extra contrast.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.